White Armor, Black Spire
by PierceTheVeils
Summary: CF-9164 struggles to obtain the upper hand in a fight against the disgraced Captain Cardinal. When he makes the trooper a cryptic offer, she's at a loss to respond. When seeking the truth about her former hero puts her loyalty at odds with the First Order, CF-9164 is forced to reevaluate her personal value in service of an increasingly doomed mission. AU of the Black Spire novel.
1. Chapter 1

White Armor, Black Spire

"To think: I once looked up to you. We all did. And you betrayed us." CF-9164 cursed herself for the hurt that crept into her voice. Unlikely as it was for anyone to hear it.

Except her opponent did. Cardinal didn't let up on his grip, but his expression changed. Before, he'd been acting the part of Resistance scum. Now, he looked through her helmet and into the depths of her eyes and said, "I never planned to betray any of you. But you never should have looked up to me. What I did to you was unforgivable. I never should have left you to the whims of monsters. I regret not sharing the truth about the First Order with anyone else."

For a split second, CF-9164 stopped struggling. She was busy trying to process the sheer absurdity of what her ca- this traitor was telling her. Upon sensing him relax in response to her apparent surrender, however, she decided it didn't matter. The trooper threw all her strength into a side maneuver, seeking to disrupt the balance of her foe.

It nearly worked. It would have worked… had Cardinal not anticipated her move. His "relaxation", as it turned out, was a trick to trap her in a hold. His calloused hands pinned her to the floor, and before she knew it, CF-9164 was thirteen all over again.

And just like before, Cardinal felt the need to berate her. One hand on her neck, the other holding her arms, he leaned down towards her ear. "In this fight, you had every strategic advantage, and here you are. On the floor. What you lack is what I helped the First Order take away from you: a true purpose for which to fight. So long as you and your fellow soldiers fight for selfishness or lies, you will always lose in the end."

"Well said, my man. Or, I have to assume the rest was as good as that last bit." Out the corner of her eye, CF-9164 saw a flamboyant man with fancy boots and a blaster swagger into the transport. He walked immediately over to the prisoner.

"My heroes," the spy's voice rasped from within her throat. First thing she said since her rescuers showed up.

Cardinal nodded to the new man, never taking his eyes off of CF-9164, and the guy rushed to unbuckle the harness pinning Vi to her seat.

"Stop! My hands! You need to―"

The spy didn't get to finish. CF-9164 looked on with twisted humor as the spy fell helplessly forward, nose-diving toward the floor with her hands still bound behind her back. The spy's new helper barely caught her in time, burying the Starling's face in his neck. She wanted to yell at them, but a warning grip on her neck told her to pursue other options.

While the other two were distracted, Cardinal used his position to whisper into her ear. "It doesn't have to be this way. If you have the strength to find me again while you're alone, I can help you."

As if there were any help CF-9164 would ask from him. Speaking up for Captain Cardinal had already gotten her in trouble once. She wasn't about to do it again.

When CF-9164 refocused her eyes, the second rescuer was done freeing their spy friend. The Starling rested against the transport wall, rubbing feeling into her hands.

"Wait."

"Wait for what?" Cardinal asked, annoyed.

"That soldier's helmet… take it off for me, would you?" He pointed his blaster in her direction, eyes shining.

"She's already dead. I strangled her."

No, he hadn't. His hand was on her neck, sure, but not firmly enough.

...Not that any of his Resistance friends could see that, with how her helmet hid his hand from their view. What was Captain Cardinal doing?

"Oh, so you can kill bucketheads, but I wasn't allowed to kill that officer out there? Make that make sense." He scowled, murderous aspirations denied. "Well, whatever. Get up. Go find our Mother Hen something to drink and possibly one of those magical stim-shots the bucketheads use to keep going even when a normal person would be sacked out. We need to get out of here."

Cardinal struggled to get off of CF-9164's (now intentionally limp) body. If she struck now, she might take Cardinal yet. But even if she got him, that second guy would be happy to blast her "buckethead" clean off. The best idea would be to take this traitor's ridiculous boon and use it to report him to Lieutenant Kath.

Or at least, that's what she told herself.

Above her, Cardinal winced. He struggled to grab their blasters off the floor. He had to lean on the wall for support, using it as a way to walk over to the lift and up to the kitchen. He was stealing their stims!

Should CF-9164 try and stop him? Every bit of her training was saying yes. Only the tiniest, quietest corner of her brain was telling her to stay in place. The cowardliest, most childish part of herself that still wanted to believe in Captain Cardinal.

The part that had looked at the video of him turning traitor and noticed a skip in the footage at a vital moment. The skip in footage that didn't exist and that mentioning had landed her in severe trouble with the general. The skip that lived only in her imagination because she hadn't wanted to believe the captain had really abandoned them. That trick of the eye.

CF-9164 lost her train of thought when the Resistance spy started talking again. "That was some real heroic stuff back there. You and Archex saved my carcass."

"Sure thing, Mother Hen. I pretty much hate everything that comes out of that stuffy grouch's mouth, but you're pretty cool."

"Really? Because Mother Hen is not that cool of a nickname. I'm not some busy matron guarding chicks and building nests―" Inexplicably, she burst out laughing, clutching her ribs as she did. "Oh no, I totally am. I'm a mother hen. I started out a sharp, deadly spy, and now I might as well be clucking around on Endor, waiting to become fried tip-yip."

Why was that funny? Were the two of them speaking in some clever Resistance code? CF-9164 was confused, at them and herself. Neither party was facing her now, but still she played at being dead.

Just as she was reconsidering her position, Cardinal was back, laughing himself. "Mother Hen. I'm glad you finally have a nickname as bad as the ones you gave me."

"What? I made Mister Stifflip laugh? You didn't already stick your nose in those stims, did you?"

"It's nothing. Emergency Brake just likes making fun of me. Now hand over the goods. Mother Hen wants to feel like a person again instead of a human punching bag."

They hadn't tortured her that badly. Over the course of CF-9164's service, she'd been punished in worse ways. The most recent of which being mere months ago.

"I could fight an acklay!" was the spy's response to stim injection. "This stuff is great!"

"First Order magic," Cardinal replied, dropping his own empty syringe. "We've got about an hour before we return to normal, which for me means I'm done."

"Get me the dead trooper's helmet. I have an idea." The spy ordered, and Cardinal obeyed. He was careful to make sure CF-9164's head faced away from the others as he removed her helmet. Her body suit would hide the absence of neck bruising. She tried to ignore her ex-captain as he gave her a long, hard look. If he was trying to remind her of what he'd said, she hadn't forgotten. Not that she was planning to obey.

"Come on, Archex. It was necessary." Was that sympathy in the Resistance spy's voice? When she'd already killed countless stormtroopers without a hint of concern in her long career as a troublemaker and at least three more troopers recently? How ridiculous.

CF-9164 listened as the three looted the transport and wreaked havoc on their comms. Every time she felt tempted to stir, she felt Cardinal's gaze on her back. It wouldn't take much for him to change his mind and kill her for real. Or for the other guy (Zade, they called him) to see her twitch and get his wish for blood. She didn't even move when the spy came over and stripped her of her armor. The trooper didn't dare breathe while the spy touched her lest she call Cardinal's bluff. Lucky for her, the spy worked too quickly to notice anything was awry.

Starling and Zade left the transport first, but CF-9164 could still hear them outside. She could also hear when Cardinal came back, though she didn't acknowledge him.

"Think about what I said, would you? Now that your team is missing members, you might patrol alone sometime. Local comms and monitors are disabled. You can slip away unnoticed. If you can survive in places your fellow troopers died, you'll have no problem finding me. I'll be watching for you."

"Don't." CF-9164 kept her voice soft, just in case anyone came back inside. Outside, she heard the stirrings of commotion. Were they troopers coming back from patrol or more Resistance scum? She had no way of knowing.

"If there's hope for me, there's hope for you. You were always eager to know every detail about what you were learning when I trained you. Your sharp eyes always showed you things other troopers didn't notice. If you want to know what really happened to me aboard the Absolution, I will tell you the whole truth, because I doubt Hux did."

Did he know what she'd said back then? There's no way he could have found out about it from searching the transport. Right?

"Regardless… CF-9164, may you live to fight another day. I hope the next time we meet, I'm not forced to harm you for real. It wounds me to see any of my charges harmed… or harming innocents."

And with that parting shot, he left. CF-9164 didn't get a word in edgewise. All she did was lay there, naked, wishing later on she could have died for real to escape Lieutenant Kath's discipline. His treatment of her was not unlike his torture of the spy for the offense of not safeguarding the prisoner. This time, however, no one came to her rescue.

She didn't even have a chance to tell him about Captain Cardinal's presence. Lieutenant Kath never asked her to speak.

His loss, really.

* * *

**A/N's: This is my response to finishing Black Spire yesterday. To be clear, I didn't hate the book. I just feel like it missed a lot of interesting opportunities presented by its premise and didn't live up to_ Phasma_ in quality. And its handling of Cardinal/Archex pissed me off for several reasons none of which I will ranting about. I will instead devote my angry energy to this fanfiction. And boy do I have the energy. ****It's been months, maybe over a year since I've written a whole chapter in a day. As it stands, this fic will be either a two shot or a three shot. Not a full rewrite of Black Spire. I don't have time for that.**

**Still, I hope you enjoy what I have to offer. Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a review down below, and I'll see you on the far side!**


	2. Chapter 2

White Armor, Black Spire

**Before we begin: In addition to the novel _Black Spire, _this chapter expects you to already know the full plot of the Phasma novel. If you need the summary that is not given here, the book is a great read even on subsequent times through. If you don't have time for that, Wookiepedia also has a decent summary of the plot. Once you feel confident enough to keep reading this fic, feel free to scroll past this note.**

**Without further ado...**

* * *

CF-9164 had no clue how much time had passed between Starling's escape and her own return to regular patrols. Honestly, it could have been weeks.

Lieutenant Kath hadn't been careful enough in his punishments not to compromise her capacity for combat, and since their medical supplies had been looted, they didn't have sufficient resources left to heal both her and him in a timely fashion. This realization only made Kath angrier, which he took out on her and started the cycle over again. And again. At least the third time around he'd only assaulted her verbally.

"You let them escape. I know you did. You worshipped the ex-Captain Cardinal before he betrayed us and in turn, he let you be soft. I should have known you didn't have what it takes to redeem yourself. I took you on this mission so you could prove me wrong, and look what you did! You blew it! CF-9164, you are lucky I am not executing you for insubordination right now!"

She couldn't reveal what she knew now. Telling Lieutenant Kath about Cardinal would only confirm his projections about her. That meant certain death.

Did it really matter, though? The First Order's mission was a noble one. Ridding the galaxy of the disorder caused by Starling and her conspirators mattered far more than her sorry life. CF-9164 knew that. She should tell Kath what she knew for the good of the mission, no matter how he took the news.

CF-9164 thought that, then hesitated. If she told the truth and Kath killed her, would that really help the mission? So far, Kath's punishments had only hindered his capacity to weed Starling out of this backwater dump because he couldn't cover as many areas with patrols. Everything Kath had accused her of regarding the spy's escape applied to him equally well, mutinous as it was to think so.

Would it be better to continue with the mission and come clean later, then? Submit herself to a higher authority once Starling and Cardinal were in custody? That certainly seemed like a better way to follow protocol. Besides, the First Order already suspected that Cardinal and Starling were in league on Batuu. Did they really need confirmation on what was already assumed?

CF-9164's fear and indecision kept her silent as she worked her way back to an acceptable level of performance. Since she'd had her armor stolen, Lieutenant Kath had assigned her the armor of CF-8845. Before arrest, Starling had slaughtered CF-8845 in the marketplace midst a routine questioning. Because CF-9164's new armor fit poorly, Kath confined her to searches in the wilderness so that no sentient would ever bear witness to an imperfection in the First Order. That, and it was unbecoming for a stormtrooper to limp in front of witnesses.

"Let's see if you can handle this basic task. If a stupid animal mauls and eats you, I will have no regrets."

LIke Cardinal had predicted, she was patrolling alone. Her tracker and comm also didn't work, all according to the traitor's design. Maybe he really did want to see her.

If he was waiting for her like he said he was, this was CF-9164's chance to set things right. She could play into his mad scheme, turn on him when the moment was right, and take him hostage. Once she brought him to Lieutenant Kath, all would be forgiven. He'd never use one of those insidious metal tools on her again.

...Say she did try that, though. How would she even find the treasonous fool? He could be anywhere on Batuu!

That reminded her. Hadn't Cardinal told her something about where he'd be waiting for her? _"If you can survive in places your fellow troopers died, you'll have no problem finding me."_ Was that the trick? She had to visit the site of her brothers-at-arms' deaths?

So far, the First Order had lost eight of the troopers they'd assigned to this mission. Two had died in the fight in front of the transport, and CE-6675, their second in command, had been shot dead in the pursuit. Those casualties had happened after CF-9164 spoke with Cardinal though, so she didn't count them in her considerations. Three more had occurred in the Black Spire Outpost, which she was banned from entering. That left only the first two casualties of the mission, in which both troopers had died inside an ancient structure rigged by to kill anyone who dared disturb it.

The very thought of entering those ruins filled CF-9164 with dread. Lieutenant Kath had survived only due to his superior skill as an officer. She was still injured. If she went in there to find Cardinal, how could she be sure she'd live to tell the tale? Was that part of the test, too? Did it give Cardinal a way to kill her off if she refused to join in on his treachery? No matter which way she approached the problem, there was danger in every direction.

CF-9164 cursed herself for the millionth time that patrol. Was she honestly considering this insanity?

Well, it wasn't like the ruins were _that_ far outside her patrol area. Lieutenant Kath had no way of knowing if she searched them briefly. With any luck, CF-9164 would deliver the news and the traitor as one, redeeming herself in the process.

The trooper's heart pounded as she turned off her predetermined route and towards the ruins that had claimed the lives of two brothers. Whatever Cardinal had in store for her, she hoped it was worth the risk.

* * *

Vi, Kriki, and Dolin had just left for the outpost, Zade had yet to awaken from his latest drunken stupor, and Pook didn't bother Archex if he kept busy enough and didn't show signs of pain. All these facts taken together made early to mid morning Archex's favorite time of the day. Lately, however, he couldn't quite enjoy it.

He should have told CF-9164 to meet him somewhere else. What if another member of the cell caught them meeting and misunderstood his intentions? What if they spotted CF-9164 first and tried to engage her? What if she used his offer to lead Kath to the base and blast it to bits? The CF-9164 he'd known was both clever and discreet, but she had no reason beyond sentiment to even see him, let alone listen to what he had to say.

Archex had only vague ideas of what the First Order might have done to ensure none of his former subordinates were still loyal to him, but clearly they believed he'd betrayed them. And in a way, he had. Not intentionally, and not in the way they likely believed, but all the same.

So for every day as long as he could, Archex found an excuse to work close to the base's entrance. If CF-9164 did show up alone and he saw her first, he'd decided that he would take her into his exercise room, a closed off area no one but him ever entered. He would tell her the truth in there, away from prying eyes and ears. Then, once he convinced her not to kidnap or harm anyone, he would lead her out and present her to Vi first, then the rest of the crew. If he could convince CF-9164 and Vi both, he wouldn't have to worry about how anyone else took the news.

And if CF-9164 didn't show up alone? All Archex could do was hide the signs of habitation. Hope the First Order didn't wander that far into the ruins before memories of their previous experiences caught up to them.

Archex desperately wanted to believe other troopers could break free. Surely there were soldiers stronger in will than he, ones who didn't need to be dragged out of a Star Destroyer at death's door in order to reach even a dubious freedom. He had to believe he hadn't doomed every single trooper he'd taught to a life of meaningless minionhood. How else could he live with his monumental guilt each day? Yes, he'd been manipulated, but that didn't change the fact that he'd been an accomplice to the First Order as they indoctrinated helpless orphans. Never in his life would he ever fully atone for what he'd done. The best he could do was try to redeem himself.

As the days dragged on, Archex began to fear the worst. Perhaps CF-9164 had been punished for failing to hold onto Vi. She could be dead now, paying the price for invoking Kath's eternal rage. Such a thought only dragged Archex further down into his spiral of guilt, distracting him to the world beyond the ruins' entrance.

That is, until he heard it. The scrape of a boot on rock.

* * *

CF-9164 cringed as her foot made a noise on the rock. Her boots were a size too large, and the extra space made her clumsy. She looked around for anyone who might have heard her, fearing a Resistance ambush.

Instead, she locked eyes with Captain Cardinal once again, watching as his eyes widened with relief. Her first instinct was to salute. Her second was to raise her blaster. In the end, CF-9164 did neither of those things.

He stood to approach her. She met him halfway, mere meters from the ruins' entrance. She held eye contact with the former captain, unsure of how to act.

"CF-9164. It's you."

"Yes," CF-9164 bit her lip, trying to filter the emotion out of her already modulated voice. "I'm here."

"I'm glad you made it. I feared the worst for you. Come." he put a hand on her armored forearm, but didn't grab her. He was holding a long strip of reed in his other hand, which he kept at his side. "Take off your helmet for me. Or whoever's it is you're wearing."

After a second of hesitation, CF-9164 did what Cardinal said. She blinked a few times, orienting herself to unaugmented vision. Once again, she and the ex-captain locked eyes. This time, a look of… _longing_ crossed his face. Longing, then remorse. His gaze lingered on the scars surrounding her eye sockets. CF-9164 found herself wanting to look away, to hide her face in shame.

"I'm sorry, CF-9164. You've already suffered for cooperating with me. But please allow me to do one more thing to you. I promise to protect you from all harm for as long as you remain in the ruins with me. Still… you can't come in just yet." And without any further explanation, Cardinal wrapped his strip of reed around her skull, using it to blindfold her.

"Ah!" CF-9164 stepped back, dropping her helmet. Her right hand went for her blaster, which Cardinal intercepted. He held her fingers in a loose grip as he finished the knot around her head. Even now, his touch was gentle.

The traitor was unarmed. If she fought him now, she would win. She could follow through on her plan to capture him, and it would be easier than she'd ever dreamed.

But… did she have to do that _right_ now? What if she did listen to Cardinal's crazy story first? She could use it to incriminate him further. Any answers he might have for her were but a mere addition to her main objective.

"I'm sorry I can't trust you yet. I know you don't trust me either right now, but thank you for taking the risk." He kept his voice low as he spoke. She could feel the heat from his arm on her ear, the exposure making her twitch. Her first instinct was to push him away. But once again, CF-9164 found herself ignoring her training.

There was a pause before Cardinal spoke again. Was he looking around for someone else? Making sure she had, indeed, come alone? Whatever it was, it lasted only a second. Next thing she knew, she felt Cardinal's position shift. He reached down to pick up her helmet, keeping one hand linked with hers. "Come with me. I will guide you to somewhere we can talk safely."

Safely, huh? More like somewhere he could trap her. This was a bad idea. She shouldn't have come alone.

And yet. _And yet._ If this traitor had honestly wanted to take her hostage, why use such a silly method? He hadn't taken her blaster away or restrained her hands. CF-9164 could break free at literally any moment. The only thing keeping her trapped by him was her lack of action. Actions that were becoming less and less predictable as of late.

They were walking. Not quickly, not in any one determined direction, but moving all the same. Connected by the clasp of hands, CF-9164 detected an oddness in Cardinal's gait. It took her a minute to figure out what she was observing without her sight to help her.

When the dots connected in her mind, she smirked. And here she was, going through all the trouble of hiding her own limp. Cardinal didn't even comment when she allowed herself to favor one leg as well.

The slow pace was definitely easier on her. The only time the pair traveled in any speed close to a run was when Cardinal suddenly jerked her into a side corridor. CF-9164 thought she heard someone walking past them. Those large, metal sounding footsteps… was there a droid patrolling these ruins somewhere? A killer droid with an unlimited source of power, sworn to protect this ancient site forevermore? CF-9164 certainly didn't want to engage in a struggle with droids. Not without her eyes, at least.

As they went on and turned around and doubled back (CF-9164 _did_ notice when Cardinal did that. He was doing it in a small enough area that she could still probably find her way out if needed, so why bother), the trooper noticed something odd about the ruins. Even through her blindfold, CF-9164 could see light in the tunnels. In his previous report, Lieutenant Kath had described the ruins as mostly dark, with only trace amounts of natural light.

Was CF-9164 in a different area of the ruins? What was going on here?

After pacing about for several minutes, Cardinal came to an abrupt stop. He let go of her hand, then moved to stand behind her. "I'm taking your blindfold off now. Please don't make any sudden movements."

Cardinal untied the scratchy reed from behind her head, letting it fall to the ground. CF-9164 blinked several more times to get used to the light in the room. It was small, narrow, and seemed to be secluded from the rest of the ruins. Only one visible exit existed in the room, and the doorway to it was behind Cardinal. Of course it was.

"Thank you again for coming. I… I know how hard it can be to defy protocol."

"No, you don't," CF-9164 bit back, words coming out harsher than she anticipated. "You're a traitor. You broke protocol easily. Like a true weakling would."

"Going against the First Order was the hardest choice I've ever made in my life. It's a choice that I pay for with every step I take." Odd that he would call attention to his crippled state. Surely he realized that would make it easier for her to overpower him later. CF-9164 was injured temporarily. His wound appeared permanent. "But the moral cost of staying silent was far higher than the physical cost of speaking out."

"How is that possible? You're a cripple. You'll never fight again."

"Not quite. I fought you, didn't I?" He smiled at her. She didn't return it. "As for how staying could have been worse than leaving... let me ask you a question. What did the First Order tell you about my departure?"

"They didn't _tell_ us anything. They _showed_ us your improper capture and interrogation of that very spy you're now cavorting with." CF-9164 hid her suspicions about skipped footage for now. That would make it too easy for Cardinal to manipulate her. Let him think she knew the whole story.

However she was expecting Cardinal to react, a laugh wasn't it. "I assure you, CF-9164, there is no 'cavorting' going on between 'that spy' and I. As for the footage, I'm surprised General Hux was willing to show the whole thing to troopers. Did it have sound?"

"Yes."

"Did it include my meeting with the general?"

Was that what the footage had skipped? Had General Hux hid his involvement with Starling's interrogation? Or was it all a lie meant to deceive her? CF-9164 chose to assume the latter. "You never met with the general at that time. You hardly ever left the spy alone. At least, until you let her go. Like a fool."

She did not like the smile that crossed the ex-captain's face in that moment. It wasn't a victory smirk, not like what most First Order officers would get. It looked real, and… almost sad. That was arguably worse. "Let me ask you a different question, then. For how long did my interrogation of the Starling run? How long was the entirety of the footage they showed you?"

"Including when the spy was unconscious? Less than a standard day."

Cardinal put his hands in front of his face with the palms out, like he was trying to push her words away. His next words were directed at himself more than they were at her. "If that's the… then, hmmm. How do I prove that… okay, I think I know."

"You know what, Cardinal? What a terrible crime you've committed?"

"CF-9164, answer me just three more questions. Think seriously about your responses, here. Make sure it's the truth. Before joining Lieutenant Kath, your non combat duty was to monitor droids and mechanics in the _Absolution_'s scrap zone, yes?"

"Yes." Where was he going with this?

"When I first captured the Starling, I sent her starhopper and a GG astromech unit to be scrapped. I said they belonged to a smuggler, and inside the ship was blue hipploglace yarn. What day did those items appear at their destination in the scrap zone?"

"How would I re... _oh_. I do remember that." That was several rotations before CF-9164 had received the news about her longtime boss and mentor. She told Cardinal the exact date.

With the chaos that followed, CF-9164 had no chance to consider that particular event, nor did she have a reason to. It wasn't uncommon for the First Order to execute any smuggler who got too close to their operations. Considering what troublemakers smugglers were, they were doing the galaxy a favor. Had those items really belonged to the Starling? Cardinal certainly knew specific information about them. How else would be aware of those details? And, now that CF-9164 thought about it, how else would the spy have landed on the _Absolution_ in the first place? It made an unfortunate amount of sense.

This was coming together all wrong. "Didn't you say you had a third question?"

"I do. When Lieutenant Kath failed to stop the Starling from taking me away with her. What day was that?"

"...that was over two standard days after the scrap job," CF-9164 admitted, then winced. But... the footage!

By the stars. CF-9164 had been right all along. General Hux had punished her, made her question her own sanity, and _she'd been right._ Vital pieces of the story had really been withheld from troopers when the First Order told them of Cardinal's betrayal. And the only people who could potentially tell her the truth were individuals she could never trust again.

"Do you understand me now, CF-9164? The First Order didn't tell you the whole story. But I can. I want you to know."

The First Order must have hidden details for a reason. Surely they didn't change the core facts of the account. They only cut the superfluous details, things no trooper needed to know to understand the overall point. Those thoughts rang hollow in CF-9164's mind, but they were all she had to hold onto in the face of this horrible revelation. "Why should I trust your account? You abandoned us for the Resistance. What could possibly justify such treason?"

"I can't say for sure that all my actions were justified. All I can do is explain to you the situation I was faced with and the choices I made in that context. I'll let you decide if I still deserve your wrath."

He was letting her decide? CF-9164 wasn't allowed to judge such things. All she was allowed to do was accept the First Order's judgement. The First Order's mysterious, unexplained, potentially corrupted judgement.

"...Fine. Tell me what happened to you in your last days as a First Order captain. What went down between you and Starling?"

"I'm not starting there. This story begins much earlier than that."

"When, then?"

"Ten years ago. With Phasma's arrival… and Brendol Hux's death."

* * *

Archex relayed every bit of truth he knew to CF-9164 regarding his discovery of rottenness within the First Order. He placed special emphasis on how the bits of rot rolled together into a full pack, and that no piece could be viewed in isolation. It hurt to watch the light fade from CF-9164's eyes, but it was necessary. Every stormtrooper deserved to know the truth, regardless of how painful it was.

"But… but," she kept saying those words, but nothing followed after them. Archex tried to take her by the hand again, but she refused his touch. All Archex could do was watch as CF-9164 sank into a corner and remained there, completely motionless.

When she finally spoke again, her mouth barely moved. The sound was garbled in her throat, but Archex thought he heard her ask, "what have I done?"

"You've done what cruel people have manipulated you into doing. For most of my life, that's all I ever did myself. That, and worse."

"What do you mean?"

"CF-9164… I manipulated you too. I taught you to be the person the First Order wanted you to be. I helped give you a life of emptiness and pain, and then when I realized I was wrong, I left you without anything better to fix it. That is how I betrayed you. You and every other stormtrooper I have ever taught. Nothing I do with my life is ever going to heal all of the pain I caused you. That is what I am sorry for. You have every right to hate me."

She stayed silent for a long time after that. When Archex finally had the courage to face the young trooper, he saw tears building up in her eyes. "I don't know if I do. Hate you, I mean. I wanted to, but… I never did.

"I always knew something was wrong with that footage. I knew you for so much of my life, and always looked up to you. General Hux tried to convince me I was wrong, but somewhere along the line, without realizing it... I stopped believing in him. But not you." CF-9164 choked on those last words, tears streaking down her face. "That's why I'm here… making everything worse for myself."

This time, Archex was able to take CF-9164's hand. Looking at her gave him emotions that he hadn't let himself feel in a long time. He'd thought his concern for young troopers was the First Order's manipulation for months. It shocked Archex to realize he still felt that kinship with one. "The truth's a lot. I didn't know how to handle it back then either, and my stumbling nearly cost me my life. Definitely my skills as a fighter."

"If you couldn't take the truth, what chance do I have?"

"I don't know. I thought about never telling any troopers for a while. If you all still believe the First Order's lies, it protects you from the reality of things. But I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"It's not just you troopers I'm worried about. Manipulated or not, your actions still harm a lot of innocent people. People I'm… _starting_ to care about. I know what you're doing is wrong, and if I have any way of stopping you, I should do it."

"Is that what the Resistance told you?"

Archex shook his head, then glanced at his ankle monitor. He hoped the Resistance heard what he had to say next. "That's what I told myself. The Resistance thinks the only way to stop you all is to fight with you. Capture you. Kill you. And no matter how hard I try… I can't do that. I don't want to do that. It's why I spared your life back at the transport."

"So… what are you saying? What are you trying to do, here?"

"I'm trying to save you. Really save you, this time." It was the first time Archex had ever said it aloud. Even in his thoughts, the idea had been nebulous. "You all are still just scared children to me. I want to save you from the things that make you frightened. From the First Order… and from yourselves. I don't know how, I don't know if I'm the right person to do it, and I don't know if it will work, but—"

CF-9164 cut him off, trapping Archex in a tight embrace. The armor of her chest plate pushed into his neck at its top, making it hard to breathe. Without thinking, Archex returned the gesture. For the first time in months, Archex felt completely at peace.

Not that it was going to last.

A loud gasp sounded behind them. A cup of caf spattered onto the floor. When CF-9164 saw who was behind him, she raised her blaster over Archex's shoulder.

"What in the _stars_ are you doing?!"

* * *

**A/N's: Sorry this chapter took longer than I anticipated. It's harder to write these new scenes than just tweak one from the book. I had to make sure things still worked in my AU and consider the details of what should be the same as the book vs. what should be different. Hope I figured it out in that regard.**

**Also, I had to nail the dialogue and relationship between these two troopers. Archex's guilt and lingering paternalism towards stormtroopers younger than him is a dynamic I wanted to see in Black Spire and didn't. If I'm gonna incorporate it here, I want to incorporate it well. I think I like what I did with the two of them, but I need more time to consider their dynamic with the rest of the cell. SOMEONE has already taken the news quite poorly. I may need to turn this fic into a four shot to fully bring it to a satisfying conclusion. Hope that's okay with everyone.**

**Thanks for reading, don't forget to leave a comment below, and I will see you on the far side!**


	3. Chapter 3

White Armor, Black Spire

Archex resisted the urge to groan when he found himself standing between two blasters. He didn't dare make any sudden moves as he raised his hands in surrender, backing slowly away from CF-9164 into a position where he could face both sides.

Zade always looked terrible in the morning, but this time he seemed a step above death. His bloodshot eyes went in and out of focus as he stared at the stormtrooper in front of him, ragged breath reeking of vomit and alcohol. His voice was a raspy whisper when he asked, "what the _hell_?"

"Zade, please. I can explain this."

But Zade wasn't interested. He raised his non-blaster hand in Archex's direction, arm shaking. "Shhhh… don't wanna hear it. Kriki… heard you in here. She woke me up and gave me a cup of…" Zade searched the area around him. "Damn it. She said you were having an intimate-sounding conversation with a woman and asked me if I knew who it was. I walked over here expecting a _very_ different type of excitement. Though if it really is that…" Zade gave CF-9164 another once-over, squinting to make out parts of her body through the armor, "I'm not sure whether to be amazed or terrified."

It took Archex a minute to figure out what Zade was saying. Whatever he'd had to drink last night must have been stronger than usual, because even now Zade was hardly lucid. "That is not what the two of us were up to in here."

"Should I subdue him?" CF-9164 asked, her expression dead once again. "If we take his weapon away, I'm certain he can be held."

"I'm sorry, did she say 'we'? As in… you and her? Against me?" For all of Zade's laughter, he was surprisingly good at keeping his blaster aimed steady. He didn't take his eyes off CF-9164 at any point during the exchange. "Traitor much?"

"Like I said, I can explain this. But both of you need to put your blasters down."

"Her first."

"Absolutely not. The last time we were in a room together, the only thing stopping him from killing me was the belief I was already dead!" CF-9164 cocked her chin in Zade's direction. "Him first."

"What? I believed you were…" it dawned on him, "the transport. You're that trooper chick Archex strangled. Guess he didn't do a very good job." Zade aimed his blaster up from the chest towards CF-9164's head. "I'll fix it."

"Zade, no!" Archex didn't plan for what he did next. As Zade was firing, Archex's hand pushed the blaster towards the ground. A shot of light zoomed out of the barrel into CF-9164's shin. Her armor deflected the shot. The female trooper didn't even flinch.

"What the hell, man?! I was doing you a-"

Archex wrested Zade's blaster out of his hands, then held out a palm towards CF-9164. "Blasters. Both of you. If you want an explanation for what's happening, I can't have you trying to kill each other."

CF-9164 obliged, though reluctantly. Zade hadn't given up yet, however. The next thing to come out of the drunkard's mouth was yelling. At the top of his lungs, no less. "Traitor! Traitor in the base! Stifflips is selling us out to the F-"

CF-9164 lurched forward to grab Zade, but Archex blocked her. He had not taken their blasters away just for the two of them to get in a fistfight. Zade stumbled back, apprehensive to the threat. Least it got him to be quiet for five seconds.

"I am not betraying Vi to the First Order. Quite the opposite, in fact. But unless the two of you are quiet and keep your hands off each other, we aren't going to get anywhere. Am I understood?" Archex looked to CF-1964 first, then Zade.

"...Yes, sir."

"What could you tell me that would possibly explain this? Why won't you let me do the right thing and shoot the stormtrooper bitch? I don't trust what's going on here." Zade grumbled, but showed no further signs of resistance. That would have to count as a yes.

Archex watched the two of them for a second, then took to shouting himself. "Kriki, if you're still listening, please contact Vi and tell her I have someone she needs to meet. I intended to wait until she returned on her own, but that won't be possible."

"...On it," was the distant reply that came from… wow, was it really the other side of the base? Archex reminded himself to never again underestimate Kriki's hearing ability.

He turned back to his two companions, who had been engaged in a staring contest. "For the sake of cutting down on redundancy, is there any chance you can wait for Vi to return before I explain myself?"

"What choice do I have? You're the one with all the firepower now, here. ...Unless Pook has a combat mode." Zade grinned, but only on half his face. "That'd be a- _oh,_ my head. Forgot about that."

Archex didn't feel like engaging Zade further, so he decided that response was good enough for now. He turned to CF-9164 and noticed the alarmed look in her eyes. "Something you want to ask me, CF-9164?"

"Why are you turning me in to Vi Moradi? Who is this Kriki? …Why did this guy call these ruins a base just a minute ago?"

"You aren't a formal prisoner, here-

"She's not?!"

"-but I can't let you stay with us without Vi's approval. She's the one running things around here."

"You want me to join the Resistance? I can't do that!"

Archex should have expected this. He'd thought the same thing himself just a few months ago. "I haven't formally joined either. But if you want to be safe from Lieutenant Kath and… anyone else who might target you now, she might be able to help find you a place on Batuu, if nothing else.

"For your second question, Kriki is someone who lives in these ruins. Her hearing is far better than anyone else's here. It makes sense that I wasn't able to hide your presence from her.

"As for your question about the purpose of these ruins, I believe my previous statements answer it. A small group has been living here." Archex remained deliberately vague on several points. He didn't want to set Zade off any more than he already had lest a real fight break out, and he didn't know how Vi would respond to CF-9164 yet, so it was best to give the trooper as little information about the Resistance cell as possible.

Not that it helped. CF-9164 was every bit as perceptive as Archex remembered. "The Resistance base is here. A Resistance spy and her co-conspirators are all living here."

"I can't let you take this information away with you. I hope you understand that. It was enough of a risk to bring you here. I can't endanger the lives of the others any more than I already have." Archex made sure they had eye contact before he finished what he was saying. "Please don't make this any more complicated than it already is. I do want to help you."

CF-9164 mulled it over, lips pressed together and eyes toward the ceiling. She didn't try to escape or call anyone, but nor did she sit back down. Archex looked from her to Zade and back again.

Zade threw his head back towards the wall, hands like he wanted to strangle something. "What is going on here?!"

This was going to be a long wait.

* * *

CF-9164 could recall combat scenarios that were less nerve-wracking than this experience. The trooper paced about in the cramped enclosure, ignoring the shooting pains it brought her. She kept away from the man named Zade, wishing she could put her helmet on so he wouldn't see her face. His mocking words made her cheeks burn and stomach curl.

"How'd a pretty thing like you become a stormtrooper, anyway? Surely there are better things you could be doing with your life. If you really aren't with Stifflips over here, I can show you what I mean. I'd have to lead you to another room first."

Why did he call Cardinal such weird names? She could see how 'stiff lips' could be an insult, but why Archex? Was it a local slang word? Maybe CF-9164 would know better if she'd been assigned patrol in the outpost more often. As it was, she'd only seen the backward settlement twice during her assignments. Not that she'd be assigned patrols any more, if Cardinal had his way.

She could still escape. Nothing was stopping her from stealing her blaster and helmet back at this point. CF-9164 could run away before the Starling even arrived. Run away, and… then what?

CF-9164 couldn't just go back to the transport. She didn't think she could ever face the First Order again knowing what she did now. If they'd lied to her about Captain Cardinal and General Hux, what else had they deceived her about? Was she really from the slums a cartel-run trading post in the Outer Rim? Had the First Order really found her at age four, hiding behind the corpse of a dead prostitute? If everything about the First Order was a lie, then who was CF-9164? Her only memories were of being a stormtrooper. She had no identity but what the First Order had given her. If she lost that, she had nothing.

Nothing but Captain Cardinal.

Everything she felt in this moment… had he felt it too? Did he feel that same loss of self? Of purpose? Of belonging?

CF-9164 understood why he'd reached out to her now. Why he'd saved her life on the transport and begged her to come see him. Why he was risking the ire of his peers and superior for the sake of a faceless, unremarkable pawn. He may be in league with Vi Moradi. He may have an uneasy alliance with this Zade fellow. But even in the company of these others, he was alone. But with her here, they would have each other. They'd be alone together.

Her cheeks burned again. But this time, they burned without queasiness. A deep sense of warmth grew out of the pit of her stomach, and CF-9164 felt like embracing Cardinal all over again. She locked eyes with him, the twitch of a smile on her cheeks. He returned the expression, and for the first time since Zade's appearance, CF-9164 forgot about the other man in the room.

Of course, once CF-9164 did that, someone else just had to show up.

"Alright you two, what's the fight about? Why was I called back here to deal with your girl trou- oh." The Resistance spy herself stopped dead in the doorframe, eyes flitting from CF-9164 to Cardinal and back again. "Kriki didn't mention this part."

Cardinal glanced down at the two blasters in his hands. He moved away from his spot by the door, allowing Vi Moradi to enter. She did not step inside. "This looks bad, doesn't it?"

The spy held out her hands for one of the blasters. Cardinal handed her CF-9164's and returned Zade's to him. "Depends on how you explain yourself. Start with why you're holding a fellow member of the cell hostage in our own base, then we'll get to Miss Trooper over here."

Cardinal was about to reply, but Zade took to speaking first. "I walked in here to see Archex and the stormtrooper chick hugging it out. Then when I tried to do the right thing and kill her, he took my blaster away by force and made us wait in here for you to show up."

"I didn't want Zade to spread the wrong idea or kill CF-9164 before you got a chance to meet her. Maybe this exact setup wasn't necessary, but I hadn't planned for anyone to come in here before you returned. Zade surprised me."

"Maybe?" Vi Moradi mocked, but her smile didn't suggest anger. Either she wasn't mad at Cardinal for what he did, or the Resistance handled insubordination far differently than what CF-9164 was used to. The spy turned to Zade again first. "If you want to leave the room now, you can go. Why don't you get another cup of caf?"

"Don't mind if I do." Zade sauntered out of the room, cursing as one of his fancy boots stepped in the caf puddle. "Let me know when the trooper's dead!"

Vi Moradi watched him leave for a minute, then entered the room with her arms crossed. "Okay Archex, let's start simple here. Who is this trooper and why is she here?"

"Her serial is CF-9164. She was on the transport when Zade and I came in to rescue you. She's here in these ruins because I asked her to come."

"Oh, I remember you," Vi Moradi said, looking CF-9164 over. It wasn't unlike what Zade had done, but it didn't feel as violating when another woman did it. "Nice armor."

"I wouldn't be wearing this if you hadn't stolen mine," CF-9164 spat before instantly regretting it. The flash of alarm in Cardinal's eyes was enough to make her wince.

The spy took it in stride. "In my defense, I did think you were dead. Why did you pretend back there?"

"Because Cap-" CF-9164 stopped to correct herself, "Cardinal told me to. He spared my life so I could find him later when I was alone."

"Did he now?" The spy sent a glance in his direction. Cardinal still looked fearful. "And you _did_ come alone?"

"Yes."

"Why? You could have led your fellow troopers right to us. That would've gotten you promoted, wouldn't it?"

What should CF-9164 say to that? Vi Moradi had the trooper's blaster in her hands. Was the spy planning to kill CF-9164 if she didn't like her answers? Was she going to die regardless? CF-9164's heart raced as she tried to placate the Resistance agent. "I didn't tell anyone else about what Cardinal said to me. I didn't even tell the lieutenant he was here."

"The lieutenant?" Vi Moradi raised an eyebrow. "He's alive?"

"Yes." Why, did they think he was dead? Someone in the Resistance had tried to stab him, yes, but "he wears armor underneath his uniform. The stab wound only left bruises."

Vi Moradi swore. "The Wolfguts reeks on. Let me rephrase my question, then. You didn't tell Kath about Archex here or anything he said to you?"

"I did not."

"Why not?"

The words were out before CF-9164 had a chance to think about them. "He didn't ask. I never had the chance to report anything to Lieutenant Kath after your escape."

"And why is- hm," Vi Moradi took a step towards CF-9164, squinting to see her face at its current angle. "Face me for a second, will you?"

Her earlier feelings of nausea returned as CF-9164 forced herself to look Vi Moradi head on. She wished once again that she was still wearing her helmet. She wished she wasn't so ashamed. The Starling had faced this very sort of torture and taken it with courage. CF-9164 had… not handled herself so nobly.

The spy didn't comment right away. Her fingers lingered over CF-9164's wounds, never applying much pressure to the ruptured skin. "Kath did this to you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I let you escape."

"Because _he_ let me escape," the spy corrected, her tone much softer than before. "Twice, in fact."

Cardinal spoke again for the first time in a while. "I remember Lieutenant Kath from our youth. Trust me, he's angrier at himself than he is at you."

"Doesn't change the punishment I received." CF-9164 turned towards Cardinal, her shame fueling the release of even more tears. "He'll tear this planet apart until he finds what he's looking for. He won't leave unless he has what he wants."

"I know. I'm working on it." Vi Moradi took a step back, giving CF-9164 room to breathe. "What I don't know is where you fit into all this. So you're here because Archex asked you to come find him. What did he tell you when you showed up?"

"He told me everything he learned when he interrogated you on the Absolution and what came directly after it. Then he apologized for abandoning me in a den of…" CF-9164 struggled to say it. Even knowing what she knew now, it was hard to speak ill of the First Order. But maybe if she succeeded, it would impress Vi Moradi. Make her think she really could be accepted here and didn't need to be killed on the spot. "...In a den of monsters."

"And the embrace Zade mentioned. Does that mean you accept his apology?"

CF-9164 shared a small smile with Cardinal before responding. "I do. I believe everything he's told me today is true."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Cardinal took CF-9164's hand once again. The two of them faced Vi Moradi together. "Please let CF-9164 stay. If she returns to the First Order now, she'll be in mortal danger. I taught her as a child. I also worked with her before, back on the Absolution. I know her to be skilled, intelligent, and perceptive in every task she faces. She can be a great help to you once she heals fully."

There it was again. Cardinal wanted CF-9164 to join the Resistance. Maybe it was the only way to convince Vi Moradi not to kill her, but the idea still gave the trooper pause. CF-9164 knew Kath was a monster. She'd accepted that General Hux was a manipulator who'd only achieved his status through patricide. But what about all the stormtroopers who weren't monsters, just scared children who'd been lied to? Could CF-9164 really bring herself to kill people who were just like her? Did she have to?

As she was thinking, CF-9164 noticed the spy studying her face. Was Vi Moradi a Force wielder who could read minds? Supreme Leader Kylo Ren had that ability. She'd heard it made audiences with him that much more terrifying.

What Vi Moradi said next only confirmed CF-9164's suspicions. "Maybe that's what you want, Archex, but is that what she wants? I'm sensing some doubts."

Of course CF-9164 didn't know what she wanted. No one had ever asked her before. She'd never had to think about it because it had never mattered until right this minute. CF-9164 expressed as much before ending with, "but I believe in Cardinal. He's always wanted the best for people under his care. I doubted that when he left, but not anymore. If he wants me here with him, then I want that as well."

Cardinal squeezed her hand and grinned, but the spy shook her head. "I don't accept that reasoning. If you aren't going to be a stormtrooper anymore, you need to start thinking for yourself."

"Like I did?" Cardinal challenged, his voice heating up. "From the minute I let you go on the _Absolution_ to now, nothing about my ties to the Resistance have been my choice."

"So who chose to rescue me, then?" Vi Moradi fired back, matching his tone. "You could have left me for dead on that transport. Once I was gone, you could have smashed your ankle monitor and fled. If that's how you feel, why bother with me at all?"

His face softened before he responded. "I didn't come to your rescue for the sake of the Resistance. I came for you. I don't act out of a sense of duty anymore. I no longer have one. I chose to come to your aid because you care about me and I care about you. No other reason. If my actions overlap with the good of your mission, so be it, but that's not my main objective. I see that now."

"But-"

"Like I care about you and wanted to rescue you from the First Order, I care about CF-9164 and want to do the same for her. I've left so many other stormtroopers in a life of misery. I lied to them for years and will never have a chance to tell them the truth. Even if I only ever rescue one person, please let me do this much."

Vi Moradi was quiet for a long time after that. CF-9164 watched her with bated breath, every heartbeat reminding her that her life was in (former?) enemy hands. Cardinal tried to catch her eye and comfort her, but the trooper kept her gaze on the spy. All he could do was maintain his grip on her hand.

Had Cardinal's outburst helped or made her prospects worse? He'd confessed to a lack of loyalty, but the fact that his superior hadn't executed him yet suggested the Resistance didn't take those as seriously as the First Order did. Maybe his honesty would help in a perverse sort of way. Could his care for Vi Moradi be taken as flattery?

"...It's not just me I have to think about, you know. I'm responsible for everyone living out of these ruins. They don't know your past, Archex. They aren't going to understand why you want Miss Trooper to stay here."

"Then we tell them."

"Unless the rest of this cell becomes accepting of a lot of things very quickly, I see that going badly in a number of ways." The spy paused. "But if you're serious about this, I have an idea. A way we can decide if Miss Trooper here is fit to stick around. I just need Dolin to return from Savit's first."

Cardinal and CF-9164 exhaled as one. The muscles in Cardinal's hand relaxed as he replied, "thank you, Vi."

"Don't thank me just yet. Wait for this evening to be over first." The spy turned on her heel, issuing one last order before she left. "Keep Miss Trooper in here with you until I invite you elsewhere. I'm off to calm Kriki."

* * *

Archex didn't know exactly what Vi had planned for the evening, but when he and CF-9164 walked out to face Pook, Dolin, Zade, and Kriki sitting in a line on the opposite side of the room, he started to have an idea.

Vi took a seat in the very middle of the group. Her next words only served to confirm Archex's suspicions. "Archex has an unconventional recruit for us to consider today. Miss Trooper here is looking to escape the First Order and Archex has helped her do so. Because the circumstances are unusual and several of you have strong feelings about stormtroopers, I didn't think it was right for me to make this decision on my own like I did for three of you."

Archex studied each person's expression as Vi gave her lecture. Zade still had the look a bewildered anger, Kriki's eyes stayed wide as saucers as they fixated on CF-9164, Dolin seemed confused about what exactly was happening, and Pook had no expression at all. If Archex was correct about what was coming next, this didn't bode well for him.

"Each of you may ask Archex or Miss Trooper any question you would like. All of us have equal say, but I will speak last. The four of you are free to change your mind before I give my opinion, but not after. Once a choice is determined, the matter is settled.

"Let the voting process begin."

* * *

**A/N's: As you may know, I originally intended for this fic to be three chapters. The next section is so long, however, that I decided it would be better if I wrote it as its own chapter. The vote among the main Black Spire cast will be the last chapter of this AU. As I said before, this fic is not a full rewrite of the latter thirty percent of the book. This is just an example of events I wish had happened and a way for me to find catharsis. All I will say about my AU post-next chapter is that Archex doesn't die in my version.**

**I hope you readers have enjoyed this fic as much as I have writing it. Like I said, this is self indulgent on my end, but I post in the hopes I'm not alone in my assessments. Regardless of if you agree with me or not, thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope you take a few extra minutes to leave your thoughts below, and I will see you on the far side!**


	4. Chapter 4

White Armor, Black Spire

Democracy. Of course it was a democracy. What other test could two ex-troopers have the greatest likelihood of failing at?

For once and only once, Zade managed to put Archex's exact thoughts into words. "I'm sorry, we're voting on the issue? This whole thing is nuts!"

Pook agreed. "This is not only a preposterous game you've invented, but an unclear one. What constitutes a decision? Does this 'voting process' require unanimity or a simple majority? Does the debate have a time limit? Are there any veto powers at play? If you're going to enact Senate procedure on us out of the blue, the least you can do is establish a clear framework."

"Why does a medical droid have political knowledge? Never mind, it's not important." Vi waved her own question away. "Simple majority voting yes or no to Miss Trooper staying here. That's the decision. Time limit isn't exact, but we do have to settle this tonight. Any decision made is one everyone has to respect, regardless of how they voted. The only other power I have beyond casting the last vote is that I can shoot down inappropriate questions or call out responses I know to be lies. You two have to tell the entire truth here." Her last statement was directed at Archex and CF-9164.

"I understand. Just so we're clear, I am not voting in this process?"

"The purpose of voting here is for me to know where people stand on the issue. I already know your position, Archex. Your job is to convince your peers that Miss Trooper really deserves a place among us."

"And if you all vote against her? What happens?"

Vi blinked. "We'll decide if and when we get to that part. If all goes your way, we can avoid having that discussion."

"Yeah, I have about a million objections to this."

"So do I."

"Good, that means it's fair. Archex, Miss Trooper. Any opening statements before you're questioned?"

"I have something to say," Archex said, then paused to gather his thoughts. What he was about to say would likely start CF-9164 off at an immediate disadvantage, but it had to be said. The truth would've come out sooner or later. Archex understood that now. "I'm sure you're all wondering why CF-9164-"

"-that's what passes for Miss Trooper's name, if you didn't know."

Archex waited to make sure Vi was finished. "...why CF-9164 came to these ruins this morning and agreed to speak with me. How was I able to get through to a stormtrooper in the first place? The truth is that CF-9164 and I know each other quite well. I first met CF-9164 when she was only a child."

"You knew her before she became a stormtrooper?" Dolin asked.

Archex glanced at Vi before continuing. Her words echoed in his mind as he answered. "No. There was a time not that long ago when she and I…" why was this so hard to say? Just spit it out! "...she and I were both stormtroopers."

Dolin and Kriki both gasped. Zade began laughing. "Tell me you're not serious."

CF-9164 spoke for the first time that evening. "It's true. Before I was transferred to Lieutenant Kath, he was my commanding officer. I knew him as Captain Cardinal."

"You're Captain Cardinal?" Kriki squeaked, flustered. Her eyes flew from Archex to Vi and back again. "But… but-"

Archex had expected this to happen. He'd wanted to do this. The way he saw it, it was better to get the hard truths out first and work his way up. If he even had a chance. "Vi knows, if that's what you're wondering. She first met me while I was still in the First Order. It's thanks to her I'm not with them anymore."

"That... is a very condensed version of the truth, yes. I'll give you that one." Vi looked like she was going to elaborate, but decided against it at the last moment. Whether her reasons were kind or self-serving in nature, the spy wasn't going to bring up the torture she'd faced at Archex's hands. Thank the stars.

"I knew as well," Pook added. "I also know the odds that keeping even a former agent of the First Order among us will end in betrayal. The chance of Archex posing a security threat are already greater than I am programmed to accept, and those of CF-9164 are higher than even his. According to objective numbers, our mission out here is already insurmountably doomed. I vote against raising my chances of being horrifically scrapped on a Star Destroyer."

"Pook-"

"My vote is final. Entering sleep mode…" And with that, Pook's eyes went dim. He was done with this conversation.

Archex reached for the droid to rouse him when Vi intercepted. "Let him be. Waking him now won't change anything." She then changed the subject. "Dolin, you have a question?"

Dolin flinched upon being recognized. He refused eye contact with anyone as he spoke. "Yeah, for Archex. If your real name's Cardinal and we know that now, what do you want us to call you?"

"Archex is my real name. It was the name I had before I was kidnapped by the First Order at age thirteen. Upon abduction, I had a serial, very similar to what CF-9164 has now. Then when I was promoted, the First Order named me Cardinal because… because I was vital to their mission at the time. A cardinal part in the machine, necessary for its function." Archex's face contorted into a pained grimace. "That's not true anymore. It's not who I am anymore. I am Archex."

"Thirteen? You mean, you were just a kid?"

"Yes. All stormtroopers are just children when the First Order takes them, most of them younger than ten. The First Order makes it a point of kidnapping orphans, the poor, those who've already been trafficked... children the galaxy won't notice are missing. When they take those children away, they tell them they're being rescued."

Dolin still looked terrified, but now his eyes also held… pity? He pointed at CF-9164. "How old was she?"

"I was four years old." Her voice was small, belying her height and stature. "I don't remember anything about my life before the First Order found me. Just what they told me about it."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty-two."

"Twenty… what?!" If Dolin had been drinking something, he would have spittaked just then. "You're younger than me?"

"Yes, she is. A lot of active duty stormtroopers are." Archex jumped in, cautiously optimistic in his ability to steer this conversation.

"If they're already soldiers at twenty-two, what do they do when they reach my age?"

"Die, mostly."

"And there you have it. The origin story of stormtroopers," Vi concluded.

At first, no one said anything. Then Zade raised a hand. "Wait, go back a minute. You said you got the name Cardinal because you were being promoted and recognized. What sort of terrible thing does someone have to do to earn the First Order's praises?"

"Well…" The facts of the matter sat badly enough in Archex's head. Saying them out loud just made everything worse. "Related to before. After the First Order collects these children, they have to be trained to become the soldiers you see today. The process starts immediately after they're taken in and processed. I… was one of the people who were in charge of their training. I held that position for over a decade."

"That's how Car- Archex and I know each other. Before he eventually became my commander, he was my teacher. Every stormtrooper looked up to him."

"Oh. Well, that's still messed up." What was Zade expecting Archex to confess to? Genocide? Wait, don't answer that. "Hey, Vi?"

"Yes?"

"How many votes to get rid of him?"

Vi shook her head. "Not an option."

"Why not?"

"First of all, it's not up to me. General Organa assigned us both to this mission. I don't have the authority to overturn that. Second of all, I want him here. He's been an enormous help, and I can't do this without him. Until recently, I thought we could get through this whole mission without any trips down memory lane. But with Miss Trooper here, that trip is unavoidable."  
Archex thanked Vi for her endorsement, even if it wasn't fully sincere. He turned to face the others. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you all the entire truth before. I know it's a lot to take in."

Zade still looked like he wanted to protest, but for once he stayed silent. Kriki just sighed. "It does explain a few things. Like why you're so good at teaching combat to people." She glanced at Vi again, though Vi didn't acknowledge it. "Forgive my asking, Archex, but does your… situation have anything to do with the device on your ankle?"

"Yes, it does. The Resistance put this on me to watch my behavior. I'm surprised none of you asked about it before, to be honest."

"I was curious, but I didn't know how to bring it up. I thought Vi put you on house arrest, but I couldn't figure out why since you're such a stick in the mud," Zade explained, arms still crossed. "Now it all makes sense."

"Do I have to wear one of those?" CF-9164 asked. "If you all accept me, will I be under watch as well?"

"I wish I could say yes, but I didn't bring a second monitor with me. The Resistance didn't anticipate this scenario when they sent me out here." Vi shrugged. "You two would have to share somehow."

"Or you could remove this one from me and place it on her," Archex suggested. When Vi looked doubtful, he continued. "She's way more mobile than I am. Or rather, she will be."

"What do you mean by 'will be'?"

"I'm injured. Lieutenant Kath saw it fit to punish me after I let you," CF-9164 gestured to Vi, "be rescued. Since your group stole our medical supplies, I had to wait until I'd healed enough on my own to come find Archex."

Dolin didn't quite understand. "You had to wait? How badly did he punish you?"

"He picked up where he left off with your spy. This time, no one interfered with him." CF-9164 tried to lower her eyes. Archex, seeing an opportunity, tilted her face gently so her scars would catch the light. She didn't resist his touch. Kriki gasped when she saw the marks.

"Prove it." Zade wasn't swayed. "You could have made those marks yourself."

"How am I supposed to do that?" CF-9164 asked, cheeks getting red. "I would never compromise my own capacity for combat. Lieutenant Kath did this to me."

Vi had to think about that for a moment. "If I checked her over to see the full extent of her injuries, would you all take my word for it? I'm no doctor, but I can tell offensive wounds from self-inflicted ones."

"What are you going to do?"

"Miss Trooper is going to go into a different room with me and take her armor off. I will examine her. Archex, you'll wait in here with everyone else. People can continue asking you questions in the meantime."

"Will you be okay alone with a stormtrooper?" Kriki asked as Vi stood up.

"Consider it part of the test. If Miss Trooper really wants to stay here, she'll have no reason to attack me. And if she possesses ulterior motives…" Vi turned to CF-9164 for this part, still holding the trooper's gun in her hand. "I only know one way in and out of where I'm taking you. The rest of the routes include lethal traps our team has yet to disarm. Hit and run at your own risk."

CF-9164 looked from Vi to Archex, unwilling to part with her only ally. He noticed her hand going to where her blaster would be, though it looked more instinctive than intentional. "You've stripped me in front of others before. Why do we have to be alone this time?"

"I thought you'd appreciate the privacy. You don't even like people seeing your face." CF-9164's eyes flitted back to Archex again. Vi noticed, and softened her tone in response. "I promise it's just us girls, here. I'm not going to harm you if you don't strike first."

"Do what she says. Vi keeps her word," Archex promised. He pulled CF-9164's hand away from her holster, squeezing it one last time for good measure. "I'll still be here when you come back out."

"Yes, sir." And with that, the two women disappeared down a hallway. Zade, Dolin, and Kriki continued to interrogate him, but Archex wasn't paying attention anymore. His mind had left the room, too.

* * *

CF-9164 clutched her hand to her chest as they walked away from the group, resisting the urge to look back. She trailed beside Vi Moradi like a leashed pet, fearing for her life with every step.

What was stopping Vi Moradi from killing her now? She could lead CF-9164 into a dark corner, shoot her dead, then claim CF-9164 had attacked first when she came back. Cardinal (Archex, he was Archex now) was in the way before, but no longer. And besides, it wasn't like the spy had no reason to shoot. CF-9164 had allowed her torture to happen. Assisted in it, even. If she wanted revenge, now would be a good time to-

"I don't take revenge on people. Never have, never will."

CF-9164 stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"I'm not isolating you to pick you off in secret. That's not how I operate. And besides," Vi shoved CF-9164's gun into her belt. It was too big for anywhere else. "If I really cared about revenge, Archex did far worse to me than you or Kath. He's been at my exclusive mercy for quite some time now. If I wanted to get back at him, I would have done it already."

That was a good point. But CF-9164 was still confused about a few things. "If Archex was so terrible to you, why did you rescue him? Why not let him die when Captain Phasma stabbed him?"

"He told you about that, huh?" CF-9164 nodded. Vi turned away to continue walking, forcing the trooper to follow. "To tell the truth, I don't entirely know why I did it. I didn't plan it. When I first saw him lying there, I was on my way out. Taking him with me only made my escape harder." Was Vi Moradi actually giving her a thoughtful, honest answer? CF-9164 wasn't used to receiving those, yet here she was today, getting dozens at a time. "I think… it was because of why he was about to die. He wasn't attacked for what he did to me or anything else he'd done wrong. He was stabbed in the back because he believed in the truth and the need to punish murderers. Letting him die meant letting the schemers win. I had the ability to prevent that, so I did.

"...but I don't know. I try not to think about those days when I can avoid it."

CF-9164 realized something then. "That's why you don't want me here. It's not just security or other people. I bring back bad memories for you."

Five emotions flashed on Vi's face at once, only to vanish in a heartbeat. "Stop. We're here." The pair were now standing in a small, narrow passageway, not unlike the one Archex had led her to earlier in the day. "Strip."

Was CF-9164 not going to get an answer, then? That was fine. By Vi Moradi's own rules, the only ones obligated to answer honestly were Archex and herself. Any deviation from that structure was pure benevolence on the spy's part. The trooper removed her armor plates in a systematic fashion, the routine taking her years into the past.

Archex had taught her how to do this. He'd taught every young charge how to handle their armor personally. It hadn't necessarily been his job to teach them maintenance, but none of the kids knew that. They'd all just been happy to be there in his company. CF-9164 recalled spending hours polishing her armor, putting in extra training, and trying every gutsy maneuver she could think of in simulated combat, all to earn just a bit more of his attention. Sometimes it had worked. Not always for the desired reasons.

"Now for the body suit. I promise I mean nothing untoward, just… gotta see your wounds."

Vi Moradi had questioned CF-9164's intentions earlier. Said it wasn't enough that CF-9164 wanted to follow another's lead out of the First Order. But she wasn't motivated by blind obedience, here. Archex had been her boss, yes, but it was more than that. He was also the only person in memory who'd ever cared about her. Believing he as an individual had lied to her was, crazy as it sounded, worse than learning the First Order as a whole was a sham.

Was it not enough to desire someone like that in her life? To want to feel needed, like it mattered whether she lived or died beyond "duty" to an abstract cause? An abstract, completely fabricated cause that didn't feel the same about her?

"Oh wow! That's an ugly one." The spy noted about CF-9164's leg, oblivious to the trooper's thoughts. "How have you been walking everywhere?"

"With determination. I didn't want to stay in the transport another day." The air in the ruins here wasn't warm exactly, but it was oddly still. It felt like CF-9164 was still wearing something on her body, even if her eyes told her otherwise. Seeing the bruises and scars on her golden skin made her cringe. "The lieutenant was eager to send me out on patrols again."

Vi didn't acknowledge hearing her, choosing instead to point out a spot on the trooper's upper back. "Well, that spot's out of a normal human's reach. Even if you could reach back there, I doubt you'd get a scar that deep… or at that angle."

CF-9164 did her best to keep the hope out of her voice. "So you believe me?"

"On this point. Zade might try to argue that you got someone to assist you on selling the ruse, but I don't think deception is Kath's style. He's more of a brute force kind of guy."

"Thank you, um… what rank are you? In the Resistance?"

Vi walked around to face CF-9164 head on. "Officially, I'm a lieutenant, but no one calls me that here. Please do not address me by my rank. 'Vi' is fine."

That would take an adjustment period. "Yes, Vi. I… suppose I understand. Why would you use your rank on a relic finding mission, after all?"

Vi blinked a few times in surprise. "I'm sorry, a relic finding what? You can put your suit, back on, by the way. Don't need the armor, though."

"Is that not why you're based in these ruins? Why Lieutenant Kath first encountered you in pursuit of a mystical item? You're here to harness the power of certain objects in the name of the Resistance." That had to be it, right? It all made sense if she looked at things from that angle. The Supreme Leader had a similar mission, after all.

"That is not why I am on Batuu, but I do see your logic." Vi offered her a half smile. "Archex was right. You are a smart trooper."

"Not smart enough, if I'm wrong."

"Intellect is shown in how you reach conclusions, not the conclusions themselves. It's why a superior intellect's not infallible and even stupid people can be right when the Force wills them to be." Vi gave CF-9164 as much privacy as possible without turning her back on her. "When you're done, we'll make the walk back. Who knows what kind of fight has broken out in our absence."

* * *

"No, I don't know which troopers were assigned that mission. I'm sorry you were stolen from, but I can't help you on this." This back and forth was giving Archex a headache. "Robberies happen outside the First Order, too. You're just going to have recover another way."

Zade wasn't done, unfortunately. "Those kriffing bucketheads are the reason I'm stuck on this backwater borefest in the first place! No offense, Dolin." He paused to look over, then continued like nothing happened. "Why would I ever want to see stormtroopers in these ruins with me when all they've done is bring misery to people?"

"I guess we've technically been seeing stormtroopers here this whole time, though…" Kriki started, but never finished. She hadn't been the same since Archex revealed his prior identity.

"Not by choice. If I'd known who you were when we first met, I would have blasted you in the head and gone on my way."

"What's stopping you now? You have a blaster on you. I don't." Archex called his bluff. When Zade didn't immediately go for the kill, he decided to keep going. "Is all this over your lost cargo? I understand it's put you back, but killing ex-troopers? You value your livelihood as a smuggler over the lives of people trying to better themselves?" Anger was one thing, but killing innocent (of this charge) people over resources? What had Zade been carrying, exactly?

"I value the lives of decent people over yours any day of the week! People are dead because of the bucketheads you love so much. She's dead, you-" Zade cut himself off this time, hand flying up over his mouth. He let the rest of this breath out in shaky, faltering starts.

"Who is 'she'?" Dolin asked.

"...Valoss," Kriki answered for him, a look of understanding crossing her face. "She was a copilot of yours. You lost her when your ship got raided."

"How do you know that name? Tell me!" Zade whipped his blaster out, not pointing it at anyone in particular. "Who gave you that name?"

"You did! In your sleep," Kriki squeaked, distressed. "I don't need as much sleep as the rest of you. And when you talk in your sleep while I'm awake, I… I hear it. I don't always want to, but I do. I'm sorry, Zade. I really am."

Now it all made sense. "That's where you heard the name Cardinal before. Was it something I said, Kriki?"

Zade cut in before Kriki could answer. Now the blaster was aimed at Archex for the second time that day. "You gonna tell me to 'recover' this as well? Why should villains like you get to be with someone you love when the rest of us are all screwed?"

Archex didn't know how to answer that. He was still formulating a response when he saw Vi and CF-9164 returning out the corner of his eye. A convenient time as any to return. But why was CF-9164 only wearing her bodysuit?

CF-9164 reacted to the scene first. "Captain!" She tried to steal her blaster back from Vi, who batted her away. Then she tried to rush Zade, and Vi grabbed her by the arm.

"No standoffs! You'll make the situation worse. Zade, whatever this is, we can settle it with words. Put the gun down."

"Words, huh? I got a word for both you bucketheads: no," Zade spat while lowering his weapon. "I hope we kill her."

"Killing her won't change what happened, Zade. The past is done. She didn't do it."

"Really now? Didn't you say earlier that you have no idea who was assigned that particular task? How do you know she wasn't responsible?"

"Can someone catch me up on what's happening here?" Vi asked. "Also, Miss Trooper didn't fake her injuries. They're real, and she didn't cause them herself. More than that, her wounds are consistent with how Wolfguts went after me. Her story is true."

Dolin looked like he wanted to say something, but Zade cut him off. "Oh, we're way past that. Hey, Stormtrooper Bitch. Before you came down here, were you working on the Star Destroyer that's above us?"

"...The Penumbra, yes. I transferred there a few months ago."

"What was your job when you were there?"

"Same job I had on the Absolution. I watched over the mechanics working in the scrap zone. But-"

"Those troopers don't interact with anyone outside the ship. She's not the culprit, Zade," Archex insisted. "Don't punish her for something she didn't do."

"Context, please." Vi repeated herself.

"Zade thinks Miss Trooper might have boarded his ship before he got here. He wants to find the people who stole his cargo and-"

"Don't say it, Dolin. Don't you dare."

Vi relaxed a bit on hearing those words. She let CF-9164 go, telling her to stand by Archex before responding to Zade. "If something bad happened on that ship, you don't have to tell me. Just know that trying to find the exact stormtrooper who wronged you out of the entire First Order is like searching for a single star in a distant galaxy. It's rare that anyone has the chance to face their tormenter a second time. And even if you do, chances of getting real closure for your experiences are slim to none. That's just how it works."

Archex didn't think she was talking about Zade's situation anymore. He wanted to say something to Vi, but what could he say that wouldn't expose his actions? If he confessed to torturing Vi now, CF-9164 was doomed.

Oh, who was he fooling? She may be done regardless. One more vote, and the majority was against her.

This was going all wrong. Archex had promised CF-9164 he would protect her, but all he'd done was put her in danger. CF-9164 tried to meet his eyes and take his hand in hers again, but he couldn't face her now. Not now that he'd failed a charge in his care for the hundred thousandth time.

"I never met this man before landing on Batuu. Whatever happened on his ship was not my doing." CF-9164 looked Zade dead in the eye, unarmed and defenseless now. "Please don't blame me for all the Order's wrongs. Even though they've done a lot of wrong things. I… I see that now, but I can't change it. I can't go back and stop myself from being a stormtrooper."

"All you can do is take this chance to escape," Archex finished. "I'm proud of you for attempting it."

"You were a kid when you joined the First Order. A little kid. I… I have cousins that are four years old. I don't know what I'd do if anything like that happened to them." Dolin was still watching Zade as he spoke. "I'm sorry for your loss, Zade, but we also have a person's life in our hands. If I don't have to kill somebody to defend my home, I won't do it."

"We haven't confirmed that's what would happen if Miss Trooper is rejected," Vi reminded him. "I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other, I just want you to remember that."

Archex snorted. "You don't have to confirm it. It's true. CF-9164 knows too much to be released. We don't have the resources to hold prisoners. Her life depends on this." He turned to Dolin, eyes pleading. "Is what you said a yes vote, Dolin?"

"..." Dolin's eyes raced around the room, avoiding Zade's glower as they did so. "...It is. I don't know how this is going to work, but... I want to."

"Thank you, Dolin. Thank you so much." Archex let out a sigh of relief. "I promise you won't regret this."

"Yes, thank you." CF-9164 smiled.

"So that's Pook, Zade, and Dolin. Kriki, you're the only one besides me who hasn't voted yet. What are your thoughts?"

All eyes landed on the Chandra Fan at once. She was not thrilled by the attention. "I don't know! Do I have to vote?"

"Yes, Kriki. It's important that we hear from everybody." Vi sat down next to her. "You can ask questions first, if you want to. Don't forget that."

Kriki took a long, shuddering breath. "Did either one of you… are either one of you responsible for the Hosnian Cataclysm by even a little bit?"

"The Hosnian what?" CF-9164 leaned forward, causing Kriki to jump back. "I didn't hear what you said."

"Starkiller Base. Were you ever stationed on it?" Vi clarified.

"Oh. No, I never was."

"Nor was I. The weapon became operational after I left the First Order."

"But you cheered when it happened, right? You clapped when those planets blew up. Don't deny it," Zade accused. "Everyone in the First Order did that."

CF-9164 hung her head. "Yes. Everyone did."

Archex had to put a stop to this. "Can I ask her a question?" Vi nodded. "CF-9164. What would have happened to you if your commander saw you weren't celebrating the attack on the Hosnian system?"

"I would have been taken aside and questioned for disloyalty. Reprogrammed, possibly," CF-9164 answered, shuddering at the thought. "Troopers who get sent away for reconditioning never come back the same. Some of them don't come back at all."

Kriki looked to Vi for confirmation. "True, best I can tell. I don't know what reconditioning entails exactly, but the fact that it's somehow worse than what stormtroopers go through initially is really something to gawk at."

"Hnnnnnnngh." Kriki groaned, her entire body shaking. "I still don't know!"

Her indecision gave Archex an idea. He didn't know if this went against the spirit of voting, but it wasn't explicitly against the rules and therefore worth a try. "Kriki, I know this is a big decision. It's not easy to hold someone else's fate in your hands. But think of it this way: if you vote no, then a majority will be formed. Your vote will be the deciding factor in CF-9164's doom. But if you vote yes, the choice rests in Vi's hands. She'll break the tie for one side or the other."

"Oh Vi, will you?"

Vi glared at Archex. "The point of voting is to have a choice, not to pawn your decision off onto another person."  
"People would pawn their decisions off onto Senators all the time in the New Republic. Is this really much different?"

"Yes, it is. This is a proposition vote, not an election. Not that you'd- never mind." Vi rolled her eyes. "Kriki, your vote is your own. I won't stop you from voting just because I don't like your reason. If you want to do what Archex suggests, that is up to you."

"...I don't want to be the voice that everything rides on. I really don't know how I feel about this." Kriki looked as though she wanted to hide. "I'll vote yes so Vi can decide."

"This is what you wanted all along, isn't it? For the choice to come down to a single leading figure." Vi kept her tone dry as she spoke. "But tell me: what makes you so sure I'll side with you two? Why do you want the choice in my hands?"

Archex sensed a test, but he wasn't sure how to pass it. What was he supposed to say? "Of course I have no guarantee you'll agree with me, but you are the one in charge here. You're the one who decided if Dolin, Kriki, or Zade would join us. I trusted your judgement then, and I trust it now. I don't see why this time had to be different."

"You saw how these three reacted to Miss Trooper and… your news. You think that would have been easier if I'd announced a decision unilaterally? Miss Trooper's fate is the one at stake, but this vote is about you too, Archex. You want people to know the truth, you need to give them some agency in how they process it. They have a right to their feelings. My word alone wouldn't have fixed that."

Archex felt like they were having two separate conversations at once. "I know I play a factor here, but please. Don't let my past harm CF-9164's chance at a future. She doesn't deserve that. She doesn't deserve any of the torture she's faced at the First Order's hands. No, she's not the only one, but she's the one we have a chance to help. I wasn't able to do this before, but now I can. You've rescued a confused, tormented soul from death before. I know you have it in you to do it again."

"What makes you think I want to do it again? That first time was… very hard for me. Even today, I struggle with those memories. Why would I open myself up to that pain again?"

"You told me you don't take revenge," CF-9164 cut in. "Does that mean you believe in forgiveness, then?" In mercy?

Vi pursed her lips. "I did say that. And I mean it. If I refuse you, Miss Trooper, it will be for a solid reason." She turned to Archex for her next question. "Our medical supplies are already limited. You know Pook is going to throw a fit if he wakes up and she's still here. How are we going to heal her?"

"She can have what I use. I'll do anything Pook won't in order to help her heal."

"You need that medicine. Otherwise, you'll be in severe pain."

"I can take it. CF-9164 needs help more than I do. She can still have a full recovery. She can perform more physical tasks than I ever will again. It's okay if I'm compromised for a while." Archex didn't say what else he was thinking. That failing to help CF-9164 would hurt him more than any withdrawal could.

"I promise I'll protect him while he's suffering. You don't have to worry about him falling victim to any attacker," CF-9164 swore. "I'll take any job you want, Vi. Whatever you need."

"How will we explain your disappearance to Kath?"

CF-9164 frowned. "He doesn't care about me. He told me before I left this morning that I'm eaten by an animal, it would be good riddance."

"We could make it look like she was mauled and eaten," Dolin suggested. "You know, use pieces of her armor, cover them in blood. That way if the First Order finds it, they won't look for their comrade anymore."

"That could work." Archex liked the way Dolin thought. He turned to Vi for confirmation.

"...I guess. One last thing. You know I've killed several of your stormtrooper friends while I've been here, right Miss Trooper?"

"I do."

"How does that make you feel?" Vi cocked her head. "You too, Archex. You care about these troopers a lot, after all. Do you resent their deaths at my hands?"

"Um… I mean, there is a war going on. Deaths happen. I didn't know them all that well, but… they were just like me. I could have been them at any point. It's just luck I'm the one with a way out." CF-9164 squirmed under Vi's scrutiny, turning to Archex for guidance.

Archex had to think about his answer. "Of course I take no pleasure in the knowledge. But I also know why you killed them. Every time you struck, it was in defense of either yourself or another person. There is a war going on, and it's not as if you started it. So no, Vi, I don't resent you. You did what you had to do."

"But I don't have to kill Miss Trooper here. I can save her, as you so wish to?"

"Yes. That is exactly what I've been saying all this time." Archex was reduced to begging. "Please, Vi. Please don't let her die."

Vi's expression changed when she heard those last words. It took a second for Archex to discern why, but then he remembered. What he'd said aboard the Absolution as she went to rescue him. "Please just let me die."

A lot had changed since then. Would Vi's choice be different as well?

"...Okay, fine. We'll work out a way for Miss Trooper to join us."  
"Thank stars." CF-9164 threw her arms around Archex, squeezing the air out of his lungs. With the lack of armor plates, this embrace was considerably more comfortable than the last. Archex returned the gesture, waiting several seconds before releasing her again.

"I'm glad you're here with me. I really… love you," Archex confessed, last confession of the day. He saw CF-9164 was confused, and quickly went on to add. "You don't have to say anything back. I know this sort of thing is new for you, and-"

"I love you, too," CF-9164 replied, embracing him again. "I think I always have."

"Awwww…" Vi cooed, the corners of her lips creeping upward.

"Thank you, all of you." CF-9164 let go of Archex once more, then held out a hand to Dolin and Kriki. Dolin shook it, if hesitantly, while Kriki refused altogether. Zade had yet to stop fuming, but here's to hoping he came around.

"You're gonna need a name. I can't call you Miss Trooper in public. What kind of name do you want?"

"I… don't know. If I had a name as a kid, I don't remember it."

"You can name yourself anything, CF-9164. It's your choice, here."

Dolin had another suggestion. "Your initials are 'C' and 'F', right? What about a name that includes those two letters somehow?"

"...my great aunt's name in Basic was Sefya. It's an 'S', not a 'C', but it has the same sound." Kriki locked eyes with CF-9164 for what might have been the first time that night. "Do you like Sefya?"

"I do. I want that name." Sefya beamed. "Archex, I have a name! I don't have to get promoted to receive one anymore."

"No, and you never will again." Archex shared her expression, the tide of warmth rising inside. "I promise you."

* * *

**A/N's: I did not mean for this last chapter to take (or be) so long. This is the end of the fic, though, so I had to fit everything I wanted in. This is what I did with my midterm break instead of homework, which I now have to start en masse. I also wrote the last half of this chapter today, so apologies for any mistakes I let be posted in my excitement. I will come back and edit this at a later date.**

**Still, I do have to say this was cathartic for me. I like the feels at the end. It helps bring me peace regarding what Black Spire actually gave us, because now I can see (and read) what I wanted out of that book without having to pick it up again.**

**As I've mentioned, I did write this for myself, but I hope people other than me also enjoyed it. If you did, please feel free to leave your thoughts below, and as always, I'll see you on the far side!**


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